Adjustable antenna mounting



June 29, 1965 c, MCCULLQUGH 3,191,898

ADJUSTABLE ANTENNA MOUNTING Filed June 8, 1962 INVENTOR. I man o C./7C2/uou6// United States Patent 3,191,838 ADJUSTABLE ANTENNA MQUNTINGRichard C. McCullough, Les Angeies, Calif. (5615 'Centineila Blvd,Culver City, Calif.) Filed June 8, 1962, Ser. No. 201,073 1 Claim. (Ci.248-43) This invention relates to an adjustable antenna mounting and isparticularly concerned with a mounting that is manually operable to setan antenna in a predetermined fixed position.

' Automobiles and the like are often equipped with citizen radioequipment requiring whip antennas ranging from 28" to 109",approximately, in length. It is most advantageous to mount such anantenna so that it projects upward from the highest point of thevehicle, and in this regard the vehicle roof is most often used as abase or foundation support". However, such a roof installation, as domost others, requires that the antenna be lowered in order to passbeneath obstacles, such as in parking the vehicle in a garage through alow overhanging door. In any case, various devices have been resorted tofor the purpose of lowering and raising an antenna, but these devicesare either complicated and costly, or they are relatively simple andcorrespondingly not so effective. For example, antennas are oftenswively mounted and held positioned by cam or detent means, thedeficiency being apparent when high wind forces are encountered and theantenna uncontrollably swings downward.

An object of this invention is to provide an antenna mounting that ismanually operable to fix the antenna in any one of a plurality ofpredetermined positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mounting for an antennathat is adjustable between a plurality of positively spaced fixedpositions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a mounting ofthe character referred to that can be placed in a working position wherethe driver of a vehicle can operate the same without leaving his drivingposition and without stopping the vehicle, and without opening the doorthereof.

With the mounting hereinafter disclosed the antenna is positively lockedin selective predetermined positions, all as circumstances require,without resort to tools, and with the least amount of inconvenience.Only the window of the vehicle need be lowered in order to reach andmanipulate the mounting.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of the typicalpreferred form and application thereof, throughout which descriptionreference is madeto'the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the antenna mounting, showing theantenna whip adjusted to a positive erect position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,showing the mounting and whip antenna in a lowered fixed position.

The adjustable antenna mounting, as it is shown throughout the drawings,involves generally, a mounting plate A, a brace means B, a shiftablebody C, lock means D, and antenna coupling means E. The elements Athrough E are all incorporated in a single rugged and rather lightweight unit that can be manually operated with facility.

The mounting plate A is a flat part, of metal such as steel, disposed ina vertical plane, and in the case illustrated it is specially formed inorder to mount at the gutter of a vehicle roof. As shown, the vehicle Vhas a roof with a front window 11 and a side window 12 in a door 13.

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It is common practice in such vehicle tops to provide a horizontalgutter 14 at or over the door 13, said gutter 14 being a narrow andupwardly opening channel usually formed integrally with the edge ormarginal portion of said roof 10. Such a channel-shaped gutter isordinarily to /2" in width, having a flat bottom 15 and a straightupstanding outside rail 16. The roof per se usually crowns upwardly andinwardly from the inside of the channel.

The plate A is adapted to be disposed in a plane extending fore and aftof the vehicle V, and to be carried by or in the channel-shaped gutter14. For this purpose the plate A has a foot 20 co-extensive with thelongitudinal extent of the plate and shaped to occupy the bottom 15 ofsaid gutter, in flat engagement with said bottom. The foot 29 is bent orturned from the material forming the plate A, at and it is fastened tothe gutter by means of spaced screw fasteners, as shown.

The plate A projects substantially above the gutter 14, beingcharacterized by a semi-circular head portion 21. The head portion 21has a center opening 22 extending through the plate, and it has aconcentrically curved periphery 23 extending about The periphery 23 isnotched at a top dead-center position, and at opposite 45 positions(approximately), and at opposite 85 positions (approximately), therebeing five radially indented notches 25, as shown.

The brace means B is provided to prevent laterally inward sway of theplate A. As is shown, the means B is composed of commercially availablefastener elements, arranged to oppose the crowned top or roof 10 of thevehicle. A stud 26 is threaded angularly, at about 45, into the centerof the plate A, just below the opening 22. A cushioning tip 27 coversthe active end of the stud that presses against the roof 10, while apair of nuts 28 adjustably position the said stud. The plate A isinitially dimpled and punched, as is shown, to position and adjustablypass the stud. The plate can be formed to lean slightly inward towardthe vehicle V, so that a little pressure exerted by the brace B erectsthe plate.

The shiftable body C is adapted to be swivelly carried on the plate A toswing about the opening 22 as pOSitively controlled. by the notches 25.In the preferred form, the body C is a cylindrical bar of material, ofmetal such as aluminum, bifurcated so as to have spaced depending legs30 to slidably straddle the head portion of the plate. Spaced transverseopenings 31 and 32 extend through the legs, opening 31, extendingthrough the upper portions of the legs in order to register with thenotches 25, and opening 32 extending through the lower portions of thelegs in order to register with the opening 22 in the plate. In practice,the opening 31 is a round bore to receive a pin 33 pressed therein,while opening 32 is a slotted opening enlarged longitudinally of thebody C in order to slidably pass a pivot pin 34. When the body isdepressed the pin 34 occupies the upper end of opening 32 (a normalposition), while the pin 33 is seated in a notch 25. However, when thebody is shifted radially (outward) the pin 34 occupies the lower end ofopening 32, while the pin 33 is removed from any one of the notches 25.Thus, the body C is shiftable relative to the plate A to move radiallyand to swing circumferentially upon deliberate manipulation.

In accordance with the invention the lock means D is provided in orderto selectively and adjustably set the body C in predetermined fixedpositions. The means D is a bias means that yieldingly urges the body Cradially inward, in order to seat the pin 33 in any one of the selectednotches 25. As shown, the body C is bored to an inside diametersubstantially exceeding the thickness of plate A, whereby a pair ofchambers extend between the pins 33 and 34 at opposite sides of theplate. A pair Q9 of tension springs 40 extend between the pins 33 and34, occupying said two chambers respectively, to the end that the bodyis always urged toward a central and locked position, where a notch 25is occupied by the pin 33.

The antenna coupling means E involves formation of the radiallyuppermost'e'nd of the body C which is bored and threaded to receive aninternally and externally threaded insulating sleeve 35 preferably ofdielectric material such as nylon. This sleeve receives a fitting 36threaded onto the base end of the whip 37, there being a flexibleloading connection 38 extending from the fit ting and fastened theretoby a screw, as shown. There is an insulating washer 35' between thefitting 36 and uppermost end of the body C, preferably a dielectricplastic material of rubber-like quality, for example neoprene.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a verypractical arrangement of parts. The plate A can be of sufficient lengthso as to space the mounting fasteners for ample strength. The body C isround and smooth without injurious projections. The lock means comprisesspaced pins that are cooperatively combined with the body C to preventshifting of the body, and to lock the body in a selected notch 25. Also,the body C, in the lock means D, houses the pins and also the biasingelements. As a result, the body C forms a simple handle shaped post thatis conveniently engaged for manual adjustments as circumstances require.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, 1 do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled inrthe artand fall within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

An adjustable mounting for antennas or the like ineluding:

(a) a flat vertically disposed plate with a semi-circular head portionwith circumferentially spaced notches,

(b) a shiftable body for carrying said antenna and bifurcated to engageover the head portion of the plate and with a pin at the center of thehead portion to form a pivot that permits the body to swing, said bodybeing slotted so as to shift radially on said pin, and with a second pinplaced radially from the first mentioned pin so as to engage in anddisengage from the said notches upon radial shifting of the body, therebeing a bore in the body extending between said pins,

(c) and bias means comprising a pair of springs housed in the said boreand at opposite sides of the plate and engaged between the two pins tourge the body radially inward to engage the second mentioned pin in aselected notch,

(d) whereby the body carrying said antenna can be selectively positionedrelative to the plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,225 3/10Aiken 248291 1,057,315 3/13 Adams 254-94 2,706,608 4/55 Joseph 3438822,884,213 4/59 Hiering 248-42 2,910,271 10/59 Keehn 354-129 3,000,5999/61 Honig 24838 3,056,570 10/62 Slavin 343715 3,100,241 8/63 Goldstein343888 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

HERMAN K. SAALBACH, FRANK L. ABBOTT,

Examiners.

